Mileage service indicator for motor vehicles



March 18, 1952 M. M. MERRITT ETAL 2,589,623

MILEAGE SERVICE INDICATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES 2 SHEETS-SHEEI 1 Filed June 13, 1949 INVENTORS MORTIMER M MERE/7'7 8 JOHN n. DAD/SMAN BY 2 AGENT March 1952 M. M. MERRITT ETAL 2,589,623

MILEAGE SERVICE INDICATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed June 15, 1949 2 SHEETS'-SHEET 2 INVENTORS MORTIMER M. MERR/TT 8 JOHN W DAD/SMA/V k/waaw nag/w Patented Mar. 18, 1952 MILEAGE SERVICE INDICATOR FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Mortimer M. Merritt, Santa Barbara, and John W. Dadisman, San Diego, Calif.; said Dadisman assignor to said Merritt Application June 13, 1949, Serial No. 98,646

Claims.

Our invention relates to a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, and the objects of our invention are:

First, to provide a mileage service indicator for vehicles of this class which will indicate to the operator of a vehicle the fact that the motor Vehicle which he is operating has traveled substantially one thousand miles, or any certain distance, since lubrication and other service performed on said vehicle;

Second, to provide a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles of this class which may be readily operated in connection with the speedometer mileage indicating drums of a conventional vehicle speedometer Without undue change in the conventional speedometer mechanism;

Third, to provide a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles having novel resetting means, which permits the operator or serviceman to reset the indicator after it has been automatically operated by the speedometer mileage indicating drums;

Fourth, to provide a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles of this class which operates as a safety feature in connection with a motor vehicle, so that the operator is automatically reminded of the necessity for lubrication and other service when the motor vehicle has traversed a certain number of miles;

Fifth, to provide a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles in which a simple springloaded pivoted plate is maintained in certain position by a latch engaged by a projecting pin on one of the speedometer mileage indicating drums, which rotates one full revolution each one thousand miles, causing the latch to be tripped and to release the plate, which passes a warning sig nal into adjacent relationship with a service indicator opening in the dial face plate of the speedometer, all of which provides for the installation of my mileage service indicator for motor vehicles in connection with various conventional speedometers; and

Sixth, to provide a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, efiicient in operation, and which will not readily deteriorate or get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, as will appear hereinafter, our invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, as will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the characters of reference thereon, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view showing a fragmentary portion of a conventional speedometer and showing our mileage service indicator for motor vehicles in connection therewith; Fig. 2 is afragmentarysectional View, taken from the line 2-2 of Fi 1; Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of a conventional automobile speedometer, showing portions thereof broken away, and illustrating a modified form of my mileage service indicator for motor vehicles in connection therewith; Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line 6-6 of Fig. 4; and Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view, taken from the line l''l of Fig. 6.

Similar characters of reference refer to similar parts and portions throughout the several views of the drawings.

The speedometer casing I, speedometer dial face plate 2, speedometer mileage indicating drums 3, pin 4, arm 5, trip lever 6, springs l and 8, stop pin 9, bearing pin It), reset plunger l I, reset spring l2, bushing l3 and the nut I4 constitute the principal parts and portions of our mileage service indicator for motor vehicles.

The speedometer casing and speedometer mileage indicating drums 3 are conventional speedometer construction, and the speedometer dial face plate 2 is substantially conventional, except that it is provided with an additional opening 2a therein, adjacent to the conventional opening 2b through which numerical designations of distance are viewed on the arcuate faces on the mileage indicating drums 3. Pivoted by means of the bearing pin it! projecting from the rear side of the speedometer dial face plate 2 is the arm 5. This arm 5 is a flat sheet metal arm, having a slot 5a near its opposite end, arcuate about the center of the bearing pin l9. Through this slot 5a projects the stop pin 9, which is fixed to the rear surface of the speedometer dial face plate 2. Integral with the arm 5 are formed tabs 5b, which extend at right angles to the plane of the fiat arm 5, in spaced relationship to each other. Pivotally mounted intermediate these tabs 5b is the trip lever B, which forms a latch for the arm 5 when in certain position, as will be hereinafter described in detail.

This lever 6 is pivotally mounted on a pin, 6a, extending through the tabs 51), as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings, and positioned around the pin 6a 3 is a coil spring I, which tends to operate torsionally for forcing the end portion 512 of the trip lever B into the dash line position, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, for engaging the small index stub 60 in the opening 20 of the speedometer dial face plate 2. The spring 8 is secured to a formed tab 50 of the arm 5, and at its opposite end is secured to a pin 8a, fixed to the speedorneter dial face plate .2, which tends to pivot the arm about the axis of the pin I0, into the solid line position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The normally front side of the arm 5, adjacent the opening 2a in the speedometer dial face plate 2, is provided with a service indicating pattern 5d, adapted to coincide with the opening 2a, and this pattern 5d may be colored red or include the word Service, or some other designation arranged to indicate the necessity for servicing the vehicle with which our mileage service indicator for vehicles is connected, so that the operator will automatically be warned that the vehicle has traveled a certain distance since the last servicing.

When the trip lever 6 is in the dash line position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, the stub portion 50 is positioned in the opening of the speedometer dial face plate 2, and the normally upper end 627 of the trip lever 6 is in alignment with the pin 4, which travels in the direction as indicated by the arrow A, in connection with one of the speedometer mileage indicating drums, preferably the one revolving one complete revolution each one thousand miles of travel by the vehicle in connection with which our mileage service indicator is operated. V

The reset plunger II is reciprocally mounted in the hollow cylindrical externally screwthreaded bushing I3, which extends through an opening la in the speedometer casing I, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and extending through the shank of the reset plunger II is a pin Ila, which limits the downward travel of the reset plunger II in the bushing I3. The normally upper end of the reset plunger I I is provided with a contacting head IIb, engageable with the normally lower end of the trip lever 6, as shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The nut I4 is externally screw-threaded on the bushing I3, in opposed relationship to the head I3a of the bushing I3, which is on the opposite side of the side wall of the speedometer casing I from the nut I4, all as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

The spring I2 is a compression spring intermediate the hand-engaging button portion lie of the reset plunger II and the head portion Ita of the bushing I3, all as shown best in Fig. 1 of the drawings. This spring I2 tends to force the reset plunger II downwardly, causing the pin Ila to engage the upper end of the bushing I3, all as shown best in Fig. l of the drawings.

The operation of our mileage service indicator for motor vehicles is substantially as follows:

Let us assume that the arm 5 and trip lever 6 are in the dash line position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, and that the pin 4 is in the dash line position B, as shown in Fig. l of the drawings. Continued operation of the ve hicle in connection with which our mileage service indicator is operated causes rotation to the extent of one complete revolution of the speedometer mileage indicator drum 3 once each thousand miles, which engages the end of the pin t which the normally upper end fib of the trip lever 6, pivoting the same toward the speedometer dial face plate 2, and disengaging the stub 60 from the opening 20 in the speedometer dial face plate 2, permitting the spring 8 to force the arm 5 into the position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, wherein the pattern at is visible through the opening 2a in the speedometer dial face plate 2, indicating to the operator of the vehicle that the particular vehicle has been driven a certain distance since being serviced. After the vehicle has been properly serviced, the portion Me of the reset plunger II may be forced upwardly, causing the plate III) to engage the trip lever 6 and carry the arm 5 into the dash line position as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, wherein the stub to falls intorthe opening 20 of the speedometer dial face plate 2, latching the same in secure stationary position until the pin 4 again rotates about the axis of the particular mileage indicating drum 3, whereupon the trip lever B is again disengaged from the opening 20 at its stub 6c. The spring I2 retracts the reset plunger I I to position as shown in Fig. l of the drawings, out of interfering relationship with the trip lever B and the arm 5, so that it may be readily moved downwardly by the spring 8 for presenting the pattern 5d at the opening 2a in the speedometer dial face plate 2. It will be here noted that the pivotal movement of the arm 5 is substantially limited by the arcuate slot 5a at its extremities upon the pin 9, which is stationarily fixed to the rear surface of the speedometer dial face plate 2, as shown best in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In the modification, as shown in Figs. 4 to '7 inclusive of the drawings, the speedometer casing I5, speedometer dial face plate I6, speedometer mileage indicating drums Ii, tumbler I8, tumbler spring I9, tumbler frame 20, trip lever 2 I, trip lever spring 22, resetting plunger 23, bushing 24, nut 25, lever 26, chain 21, pin 28 and lever axle 29 constitute the principal parts and portions of said modification.

The speedometer casing I5, speedometer dial face plate It and the mileage indicating drums H are substantially conventional speedometer structure. Fixed to the inner side of the speedometer casing I5 is the tumbler frame 20, which is a substantially U-shaped frame, having extending arm portions 20a and 261), as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. Intermediate these arms 2% and 20b is the tumbler I8, which is a substantially square in cross-section member, pivotally mounted on bearing pins 200 and 20d, fixed to the arms 29a and 29b of the tumbler frame 20.

This tumbler I8 is positioned adjacent an opening Ifia in the speedometer dial face plate I6, directly below the conventional opening Ifib, through which numerical designations are viewed on the surface of the drums H. The tumbler I8 is provided with a hook Isa near one cross-sectional corner thereof, to which the chain 21 is attached at its one end. The opposite end of the chain 2! is fixed to the lever 26, which is pivotally mounted on a pin 2%, secured to the base of the tumbler frame 28, all as shown best in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

This lever 25 is provided with a quadrant portion 261) engageable with the resetting plunger 23 at its upper end, which is reciprocally mounted in the bushing 24 fixed to the lower portion of the speedometer casing I5 by means of the nut 25. The trip lever 2I is pivotally mounted on the lever axle 29, which is interposed between the arms 26a and 20b of the tumbler frame 20 near its base portion 253e, as shown best in Fig. 7 of the drawings. This trip lever 2|, as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, is provided with a pin-r engaging portion 2la which is maintained in close proximity to the periphery of the mileage indicating drum l1, and which is engageable by the pin 28 fixed to one of the mileage indicating drums I'l, preferably the drum I! as shown in Fig. 4 of the drawings, which bears the third digit which may be viewed through the opening IGb in the speedometer dial face plate I6. The spring 22, at its end 22a, engages the leg 20a of the tumbler frame 20, and tends to hold the end portion Zia of said trip lever 2| in close proximity to the arcuate surface of the mileage indicating drum l1, so that it may be contacted by the pin 28 during each revolution of the mileage indicating drum I1.

The opposite end of the trip lever 21 is provided with a tumbler-engaging arm portion 2ib, which is adapted to engage a stop pin l 81) on the tumbler i8 when rotated in a counter-clockwise direction substantially ninety degrees to that as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings. It will be here noted that the tumbler spring I 5 is a torsion spring, fixed at its one end, [9a, to the arm Zila of the tumbler frame 28, and which is wound around the tumbler is at its opposite end lSb, which is positioned within an annular groove I80 of the tumbler 43, all as shown best in Fig. 6 of the drawings.

It will be here noted that the arm portion 2% of the tumbler frame 20 is provided with a pair of stop pins 29f and 20g, which are engageable with the corners i8d and We, respectively, of the tumbler i8 to limit the travel thereof to substantially ninety degrees of rotational movement, all as shown best in Figs. 6 and '7 of the drawings. The tumbler !8, at its one end adjacent the stop pins 26f and 29g, is provided with an arcuate relieved portion l8 adapted to clear the pins 20) and 28g at one corner of the tumbler iii.

The operation of the modified structure shown in Figs. e to '7 inclusive of the drawings is substantially as follows:

When the tumbler l8 and connected cooperative mechanism is in the position as shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the face My of the tumbler 118 indicates through the opening 5a of the speedometer dial face plate Hi the need for servicing the vehicle to which the mileage service indicator is connected, and after the service has been rendered and the vehicle has been properly lubricated or otherwise serviced, the plunger 23 is forced upwardly and the upper end thereof engages the quadrant 26b of the lever 25, which forces the outer end of the lever 26 in connection with the chain 21 downwardly, which transfers force to the hook I8a of the tumbler l3, causing substantially ninety degrees of rotational movement of the tumbler IS in a counter-clockwise direction until the pin [8b has engaged the end 2 lb of the trip lever 21, which prevents the torsion spring [9 from rotating the tumbler it in a clockwise direction until the trip lever 25 is engaged by the pin 26 on one of the mileage indicating drums II. It will be noted that after service, complete rotation of the mileage indicating drum I! on which the pin 28 is positioned occurs during the travel of a predetermined distance, so that the trip lever 2| is actuated or engaged at its end 2la by the pin 28, subsequent to the travel of a predetermined distance after the service of the vehicle, which forces the end Zib of the trip lever 2| downwardly in an arcuate path about the axis of the axle 29, which relieves the end Zlb from the pin [81), permitting the torsion spring IE? to rotate the tumbler I8 in a 6 clockwise direction until the corner l8d engages the stop pin 20 presenting the service indication surface of the tumbler I 8 adjacent the opening 16a in the speedometer dial face plate I6, so that the operator of the vehicle is again warned that the vehicle needs further service.

Though we have shown and described a particular construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions, and a certain modification, we do not wish to be limitedto this particular construction, combination and arrangement, nor to the modification, but desire to include in the scope of our invention the construction, combination and arrangement substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, a plate having an opening therein, a conventional speedometer having rotatable mileage indicating drums, a projecting pin secured to and extending from the arcuate surface of one of said mileage indicating drums, a trip lever engageable by said projecting pin, a service indicator member movable adjacent said opening and having means on which said trip lever is pivotally mounted, resilient means tending to move said service indicator member, whereby engagement of said pin with said trip lever releases said service indicator member and permits said resilient means to force said indicator member and said trip lever to move relative to said window for indicating the necessity of servicing the vehicle with each rotation of said mileage indicating drum to which said pin is secured.

2. In a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, a plate having an opening therein, a conventional speedometer having rotatable mileage indicating drums, a projecting pin secured to and extending from the arcuate surface of one of said mileage indicating drums, a trip lever engageable by said projecting pin, a service indicator member movable adjacent said opening and having means on which said trip lever is pivotally mounted, resilient means tending to move said service indicator member, whereby engagement of said pin with said trip lever releases said service indicator member and permits said resilient means to force said indicator member and said trip lever to move relative to said window for indicating the necessity of servicing the vehicle with each rotation of said mileage indicating drum to which said pin is secured, resetting means for said service indicator member for forcing the same into engagement with said pin and moving the same relative to said window in said speedometer dial face plate after the vehicle has been serviced.

- 3. In a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, a plate having an opening therein, a conventional speedometer having rotatable mileage indicating drums, a projecting pin secured to and extending from the arcuate surface of one of said mileage indicating drums, a trip lever engageable by said projecting pin, a service indicator member movable adjacent said opening and having means on which said trip lever is pivotally mounted, resilient means tending to move said service indicator member, and whereby engagement of said pin with said trip lever releases said service indicator member and permits said resilient means to force said indicator member and said trip member to move relative to said window for indicating the necessity of servicing the vehicle with each rotation of said mileage indicating drum to which said pin is secured, resetting means for said service indicator member for forcing the same into engagement with said pin and moving the same relative to said window in said speedometer dial face plate after the vehicle has been serviced, stop means in connection with said service indicator member for limiting the movement thereof relative to said opening in said speedometer dial face plate.

4. In a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, a plate having an opening therein, a conventional speedometer having rotatable mileage indicating drums, a projecting pin secured to and extending from the arcuate surface of one of said mileage indicating drums, a trip lever engageable by said projecting pin, a service indicator member movable adjacent said opening and having means on which said trip lever is pivotally mounted, resilient means tending to move said service indicator member, and whereby engagement of said pin with said trip lever releases said service indicator member and permits said resilient means to force said indicator member and said trip lever to move relative to said window for indicating the necessity of servicing the vehicle with each rotation of said mileage indicating drum to which said pin is secured, resetting means for said service indicator member for forcing the same into engagement with said pin and moving the same relative to said window in said speedometer dial face plate after the vehicle has been serviced, stopmeans in connection with said service indicator member for limiting the movement thereof relative to said opening in said speedometer dial face plate, said resetting means including a-plunger which may be manually operated.-

5. In a mileage service indicator for motor vehicles, a plate having an opening therein, a conventional speedometer having rotatable mileage indicating drums, a projecting pin secured to and extending from the arcuate surface of one of said mileage indicating drums, a trip lever engageable by said projecting pin, a service indicator member movable adjacent said opening and having means on which said trip lever is pivotally mounted, resilient means tending to move said service indicator member, and whereby engagement of said pin with said trip lever releases said service indicator member and permits said resilient means to force said indicator member and said trip lever to move relative to said window for indicating the necessity of servicing the vehicle with each rotation of said mileage indicating drum to which .said pin is secured, said service indicator member being pivotally slidable parallel to the rear surface of said speedometer dial face plate.

MORTIMER M. MERRITT.

JOHN W. DADISMAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,774,015 Johnson Aug. 26, 1930 1,778,593 Hain Oct. 14, 1930 1,948,427 Moecker Feb. 20, 1934 2,130,613 Colee Sept. 20, 1938 2,253,827 Vinton Aug. 26, 1941 

